The invention relates to a replaceable special tool for a press for joining connecting elements, arranged in the longitudinal or transverse direction on an incoming carrier belt or in a magazine guide to a front end of an inserted workpiece. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of crimping workpieces by means of a special tool.
Numerous types of presses are known which, by means of special tools, serve to join, in particular, electrical conductor ends to connecting elements, such as, for example, terminals and/or plugs. A stripping device and a separating device for a carrier belt of electrical connecting elements are usually integrated in such presses.
As a rule, the ram stroke movement necessary for a press is produced by an electromechanically driven eccentric having at least one toggle lever. However, presses can also be operated hydraulically, pneumatically or manually.
In the company brochure "Crimptechnik", the company Multi-Tech-Machines AG, GH-2543 Lengnau, offers a plurality of eccentric presses which are designed as electrical crimping machines and constitute the latest state of the art. These crimping machines permit the use of all AMP-compatible crimping tools in longitudinal and transverse conveyors.
These crimping machines work with at least one crimper having an allocated anvil. The hard base is best suited to the crimping of wires, stranded wires and the like, but can pose considerable problems in the case of soft or resilient workpieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,084 relates to an apparatus for the crimping of fittings onto a bundle of optical fibers. A screw, when it turns, simultaneously sets pressure rollers in rotation, which are pressed together during advancement. As a result, a flexible sleeve inserted into the fitting is notched and pressed directly onto the optical fibers, whereby the crimping is produced.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,724 describes a crimping apparatus for the butt-splicing of two optical fibers with a very complicated apparatus, which makes a great many manipulations necessary.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved special tool of the type mentioned at the beginning and a method of operating it by means of a press which are suitable in particular for the crimping of soft and resilient workpieces. The press having the special tool is to work in a space-saving manner and its special tool is to deliver high-quality products at favorable investment and operating costs.